The Allahabad High Court has stayed an order that required employees of the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) to participate in Census 2027-related work, holding that the legality of such a direction deserved closer examination.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Salil Kumar Rai and Justice Swarupama Chaturvedi passed the interim order while hearing a special appeal filed by the North Central Zone Insurance Employees Federation.
Background of the Case
The dispute arose from an order dated May 5, 2026, issued by the Zonal Officer/Charge Officer of Zone-1, Nagar Nigam, Kanpur, directing LIC employees to be engaged in Census 2027 work.
The employees’ federation challenged the decision through a writ petition, seeking cancellation of the move and a direction restraining authorities from assigning census duties to LIC staff. However, a Single Judge dismissed the petition on May 29, 2026, observing that the petition did not specifically challenge the order through which the employees had been requisitioned.
The federation then approached the Division Bench through a special appeal.
During the hearing, the Bench considered whether the Kanpur Nagar Nigam officer had the legal authority to requisition LIC employees for census work.
Referring to the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, and an earlier Division Bench judgment of the High Court, the judges noted that the source of power for such requisition could be traced to Section 7 of the Act.
The Court observed that Section 7(c) permits the State Government or its authorized officer to seek assistance from staff of an establishment, firm, or factory only in connection with census operations within the premises of that establishment.
“The same can only be for the purpose of census operations within the premises of such establishment and not outside the premises,” the Bench observed while interpreting the provision.
The judges stated that the May 5 order appeared, at first glance, to fall outside the limits prescribed under Section 7(c) of the Census Act.
The Court also disagreed with the argument that no interim relief should be granted merely because census operations are matters of national importance.
“The legality of an order of any State authority is not dependent merely on the purpose of the order but also on whether the order complies with the statutory requirements,” the Bench remarked.
The Court further noted that the pleadings in the original writ petition clearly showed that the challenge was directed against the May 5 order and that prayers in a writ petition must be read in the context of the pleadings as a whole.
Finding that the appeal required detailed consideration, the Division Bench ordered that the matter be listed for final hearing on July 6, 2026.
Pending further proceedings, the Court stayed the operation of the May 5, 2026 order issued by the Zonal Officer, Zone-1/Charge Officer, Nagar Nigam, Kanpur. The interim protection will remain in force until the next date of hearing.
Case Details:
Case Title: North Central Zone Insurance Employees Federation v. Union of India and 5 Others
Case Number: Special Appeal No. 729 of 2026
Judges: Justice Salil Kumar Rai and Justice Swarupama Chaturvedi
Decision Date: June 8, 2026
